DETROIT -- Johnny Manziel tightened the quarterback race with a promising debut in his first preseason game.

The No. 22 overall pick -- who took the field with 7:32 left in the second quarter to a chorus of boos and cheers --showed that he's not just a college phenom and that his playmaking magic just might translate well to the NFL after all.

"For me it was a good start,'' Manziel said after the Browns' 13-12 loss to the Lions. "You have to start somewhere. You have to set a foundation. I got my feet wet. I got my first preseason game under my belt and we've got three more heading into the season.''

Manziel, who put some considerable heat on starter Brian Hoyer, will likely get the start on Monday Night Football in Washington Aug. 18, but coach Mike Pettine said, "that decision hasn't been made yet.''

In five series of work with the second-team offense, Manziel completed 7 of 11 attempts for 63 yards for a 79.0 rating with no touchdowns or interceptions. He also ran six times for a team-high 27 yards with a long gain of 16 for a 4.5-yard average.

"More than anything, it was good for me personally to get out there, go through the game speed, we're getting tackled, we're live, it's a different look than in practice,'' Manziel said. "I just felt like I wanted to try and get some completions, try and get some things rolling, try to put ourselves in position to score some points. Now we just need to get over that hump of getting down in the red zone and putting it in the end zone.''

Working exclusively with the second-team offense, Manziel managed only a field goal and watched his best drive end in a fumble -- but showed promise in the things that make him Johnny Football, America's new favorite NFL player.

He ran well, threw well on the run and operated efficiently from the pocket. Several times, he pulled the ball in and ran because his protection broke down and he had no choice.

"I want to move the ball down the field,'' said Manziel. "I did as good a job as I could getting down when I needed to get down, and there was a fourth down where I was happy to get the first down, happy to move the chains there. When I did get a chance to take off and run around a little bit, I got down to the chains and tried to keep the drive going. That's what it's all about.''

Operating primarily out of the pistol formation and running a read-option scheme, Manziel said he's not concerned about starting against the Redskins to try to win the job.

"I just think I need to continue to do what these coaches are asking me to do and continue to learn in these situations and try and handle them the best I can while they're coming at me,'' he said. "I'm sure for these next few weeks there will be adversity I'll have to overcome, and at the same time that's part of this game. I'll try and put this team and my group - whichever, the ones, the twos, the threes, whichever it is - try and move the ball down the field and help our team win the game.''

Manziel, who scrambled for a long gain of 16 yards and converted a fourth down on a keeper, hasn't concerned himself with winning the starting job.

"For me, it's all about getting better,'' he said. "If I'm the guy that puts this team in the best position to win, then we'll see what happens. But if it's not, then I'm here. At the end of the day, what I want is what's best for the Cleveland Browns.

"Whichever quarterback that is, whichever way I can help this team. That's what I'm all about. I'm not about having to come in, having to do this. I just need to continue to get better as a player, continue to learn, soak everything in from the film and this experience I had tonight and things will play themselves out the way they're supposed to.''

Manziel took a couple of hard hits and was checked by the medical team on the sidelines, possibly for an arm issue.

"It's a football game,'' he said. "It's physical. It's part of the game, but I feel really good. I feel great.''

Manziel's best throw from the pocket - the place from which he'll have to operate more frequently at this level - was a 14-yarder to Taylor Gabriel on his fourth possession.

"I felt comfortable in the pocket,'' he said. "I felt like the offensive line did a great job of holding up for me to be able to deliver that ball when we were supposed to get rid of it. I felt like the ball came out well tonight. I'm still working on getting balls out on time better and really time things up.''

Manziel wouldn't say if this game gave him confidence he could start against the Steelers Sept. 7 if called upon.

"I think luckily for me there's three more games for me to get out there and learn and continue to go through different situations vs. different defenses, look at the defenses more, what they're doing,'' he said. "I'm continuing to learn how to go through this season and obviously preseason form, but still go week to week learning and just growing up as a quarterback.

"Week one, I guess you guys can say it's close, but at the same time there are a lot of things that unfold from now until then that will paint a better picture for us.''

In three drives, Hoyer completed 6-of-14 attempts for 92 yards for a 65.2 rating. He put two field goals on the board and and had a long completion of 28 yards.

"It was good to be back out on the field with my teammates, to go out there and move the ball," said Hoyer. "We kind of killed ourselves with some things. There are definitely a couple reads I would like to take back and a few throws, but for the most part it's good to get out there and play against someone else."

He got a little overexcited and overthrew two of his receivers twice inside the Lions' 20, but also had at least two of his passes dropped.

"Like I said, we kind of hurt ourselves,'' said Hoyer. "For me, I had a bad read on one third down. We just have to continue to improve when the live bullets are flying. We can't settle for three, we've got to score touchdowns."

Like Manziel, Hoyer downplayed the competition.

"I'm not concerned about that right now,'' he said. "I'm concerned about being the best quarterback I can be when I play."

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